Annie Ruth Anderson

Annie Ruth Anderson passed away on November 8, 2022. She was predeceased by her first husband of 46 years, Charles H. Anderson; her second husband of 15 years, John H. Brown; her son, Brent N. Anderson; and son-in-law, Orv Luther. She is survived by her daughters, Karen A. Luther and Evelyn A. Knauft (David); daughter-in-law Anne Anderson; four grandsons, Neal Anderson (April), Greg Knauft (Meghan), Aaron Luther (Shancey), and Jake Luther (Nicole); and three great-grandsons (Travis Anderson, Cole Anderson, and Sonny Luther).

Annie Ruth was the youngest of 14 children when she was born in Metter, Georgia. She attended Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, and after graduation moved to Atlanta where she met Charles Anderson on a blind date. After their marriage, they moved to Albany, Georgia, where their 3 children were born.

A job opportunity at DeKalb General Hospital for Charles brought them to Decatur, Georgia, in 1961. They attended Oak Grove United Methodist Church their first Sunday in town and became members shortly afterward. Annie Ruth remained an active supporter of the church nearly 60 years later.

Annie Ruth had a volunteer’s heart and fully committed to any organization she joined, such as Oak Grove United Methodist Church, where she served many volunteer roles. She was a charter member of the DeKalb Unit of the Atlanta Symphony Associates and remained an active volunteer for decades. Additionally, she was a charter member of the volunteers for Fernbank Museum of Natural History and continued to serve there for more than 12 years in the IMAX Theater before becoming an emeritus volunteer. She was perhaps most proud of being a charter member of the DeKalb Medical Center Auxiliary, serving as its 2nd president and in many other roles. She volunteered more than 20,000 hours for over 40 years with the Auxiliary before becoming an emeritus member.

Annie Ruth loved to travel, never met a stranger, and enjoyed learning the story of anyone she met, from neighbors, to fellow church members, to caregivers who helped her at King’s Bridge Retirement Center. Donations in her memory may be made to Oak Grove United Methodist Church, 1722 Oak Grove Road, Decatur, GA, 30033 (https://ogumc.org/donate). Her service will be on November 11, 2022, at Oak Grove UMC, reception at 10 a.m. and funeral at 11 a.m.